Zimpapers Logo

Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the owners of 135 undeveloped residential stands across Cowdray Park, Pumula South and Luveve suburbs, warning that failure to develop the properties could result in repossession.

In a statement, BCC Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube, said the local authority is targeting beneficiaries who have failed to develop their stands within the stipulated two-year period.

“Beneficiaries of the Hlalani Kuhle/Garikai Housing Scheme, Luveve 4, Luveve 5, and Pumula South who have failed to develop their stands within the minimum period of 24 months from the date of sale are required to report to the Cowdray Park Housing Office, Luveve Housing Office, or Pumula South Housing Office to show case why the City of Bulawayo should not proceed with repossessing the stands as per council housing policy,” he said.

Mr Dube warned that failure to comply within the grace period would result in the stands being repossessed and reallocated to deserving applicants on the city’s housing waiting list.

In sprawling Cowdray Park, the city’s largest and most populated suburb, 30 residential stands under the Hlalani Kuhle Housing Scheme are set to be repossessed.

Meanwhile, owners of undeveloped stands in Luveve 4 and Pumula South face losing a combined total of 59 stands. Additionally, those who have failed to develop 46 stands in Luveve 5 over the past two years also risk losing their land.
Mr Dube said the local authority is giving owners a 30-day grace period to present reasons why their stands should not be repossessed.

Information on the BCC website indicates that the average price for a residential stand is pegged at US$4,000 or the equivalent in local currency.

Bulawayo is grappling with a housing backlog of 130,000 applicants, as revealed by Ward 3 Councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu, during a land and corruption conference last year. Despite efforts to address the crisis, BCC has only provided 30,000 housing stands over the past decade.

Ward 6 Councillor Nkosinathi Hove Mpofu, whose jurisdiction covers parts of Cowdray Park Phases two and four, expressed concern over the move to repossess undeveloped stands, stating that some beneficiaries had made significant sacrifices to acquire them.

“The reasons why residents are failing to develop their stands vary. Everyone wants to be a homeowner, and the affected individuals have undoubtedly tried their best to hold onto their properties,” he said. “Purchasing a stand requires great sacrifice, and it is heartbreaking to see people lose them.”

The national housing backlog stands at approximately 1.5 million. Housing delivery remains a key pillar of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which aims to provide 220,000 housing units by 2025 through collective efforts from stakeholders and all parties involved in human settlements delivery to reduce the housing backlog.

To address challenges in housing delivery, the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy (ZNHSP) was adopted in 2020 and officially launched by President Mnangagwa in September 2021. The policy aims to bridge the rural-urban divide, integrate climate change considerations, and enhance housing and social amenities.

With increasing demand for housing, well-planned settlements are essential to improving the ease of doing business and achieving Vision 2030’s goal of an upper-middle-income economy.